Benghazi in spotlight as Libyan militants seize army base

BENGHAZI, July 30 (Xinhua) -- A Libyan special forces base in Benghazi on Wednesday fell into the hands of Islamist militants after a week's battle, according to military sources.

The special forces Thunderbolt have evacuated from their main camp in southern Benghazi after successive attacks by heavy artilleries and medium weapons, a military source said.

One armed group from the coalition of Islamist fighters, Shura Council, also confirmed that their fighters had taken the main camp and several other army strongholds, adding they will hunt down the remnants.

Libya's eastern restive city of Benghazi has witnessed a drastic escalation of violence sine May, when the renegade general Khalifa Haftar launched his Operation Dignity, leading his pro- secular forces constantly pounding Islamist forces in the name of "anti-terrorism."

However, Islamist armed groups, including Ansar al-Sharia, in recent weeks struck back coordinately. The recent Benghazi assaults might be echoing the ongoing clashes in Tripoli, where the Islamist fighters from Misrata have been pounding the international airport since July 13, which killed at least 97 and wounded over 400 people.